Chapter 6

Zoe

I was addicted to my roommate.

That was the only explanation for why I couldn't stop thinking about Luxor; the way he made me smile, the way he made me feel at ease. The way he made me scream his name as I came.

I was an academic , for God's sake. If I ever imagined myself in a relationship with someone, it would've been someone equally academic, who liked to read and discuss what we'd read.

Lux wasn't like that.

But on the other hand, I was surprised by how angry and protective I became when he or anyone else joked about him being stupid. Lux wasn't stupid…he just didn't learn shit from books. He went out and learned it by talking to people, by doing .

And that was, frankly, more than I could say.

After a week of our roommates-with-benefits arrangement, I felt as if I knew him a lot better. Although I'd made him promise this was just a hookup, and we were still the same outside the bedroom, I had to admit that I was the one faltering.

When we were working around the house together, I wanted to be touching him. And when I was at work and he was volunteering at the animal shelter, as he did most mornings, I missed him. Genuinely missed him —his jokes, his smiles, his insight—not just his body.

Although I missed that too.

Yeah, I was addicted, and I wasn't certain how I felt about that.

On the one hand: Yay! Mind-blowing sex! On the other hand, this was supposed to be temporary. One and done, out of my system. Just enough to scratch the itch.

Well, it'd been a week, and we'd done it a lot more than once, and I was still itchy as hell. If anything, I was more itchy. I was itching like a three-day-old poison ivy rash—

Wait, this was getting less romantic.

The point is, I couldn't afford romance.

Eastshore was my home, and I was comfortable here, and I liked the people…but I wouldn't be staying forever. My MLS would be finished up in a few months, and if I wanted to work in a library—and I did want to work in a library, which was the whole point!—I'd have to move back to the mainland.

There were so many aspects of public library work, and at this point, I was willing to take anything. Even harboring the homeless and helping those with mental health struggles and drug addictions—it was all part and parcel of the modern public library, and although I wasn't the warm and cuddly type, I was looking forward to having the chance to actually help .

The way Lux helped.

All my life, I'd studied and waited tables. I wasn't making the world a better place, not the way he did with the way he helped everyone he met, even the dogs at the shelter. I wanted to do that too, and if that meant moving off Eastshore to find work in one of the libraries on the mainland, I would.

Too bad Eastshore's tiny library could only employ one full-time librarian at a time.

"Excuse me?"

My musings were cut short by a young lady at the hostess stand. It was slow today, and I was on a water-refill run, but nothing urgent, so I slowed, looking around for the hostess. "Hi, welcome to The Waterfront, how can I help?"

The lady was a brunette, with a portion of hair dyed teal sweeping back from her forehead, and an awkward smile. "I had a pick-up order. Just a burger, but I have a date with my couch and laptop tonight."

I found myself smiling. "I hear you on that! TV or movies?"

She flushed a little guiltily, then shrugged and named a popular streaming show. "I have to catch up on a few episodes. Life has been hectic since I moved."

I plunked the water pitcher on the stand, brows going up. "You're new to Eastshore? Welcome to the island!"

She thrust out her hand. "I'm Nikki, the new one-two teacher at the elementary school."

Bemusedly, I shook her hand. "I don't know what that means. You're twelve?"

Nikki chuckled, tucking her teal strands behind her ear in what looked like a nervous gesture. "I teach first and second grades, the combined classes. Apparently, there aren't enough kids to separate out. It's different from what I'm used to, but I needed…uh…I needed to get away."

Sounded like there was a story there, but it wasn't any of my business, so I slapped my polite smile on. "Well, you've picked a great place. Eastshore is friendly and fun and welcoming—"

"And full of hurricanes?"

I blinked, then realized what she was asking. "Oh, Hurricane Ursula? I think it's due Thursday, right? The way things are going, it'll probably be a tropical storm by then."

Nikki glanced around. "You're not evacuating?"

I shrugged. "The manager says we'll shut down, and about half the locals I've talked to are making plans to stay on the mainland, but the other half don't think it's worth worrying about. Apparently, they're used to this sort of thing."

The other woman exhaled, her shoulders slumping a little. "Okay, that's good to know. School's only been in session a few weeks, but the ladies at the school are making it seem like I need to really worry about it."

"Ah, well. Some people enjoy drama." I shared a crooked smile with Nikki. "But you should totally consider evacuating once the principal closes the school, if you've got someplace safe to go."

To my surprise, the petite teacher glanced over her shoulder. "I'm…uh…I'm not sure I do."

Hmm . There was something going on with Eastshore's newest teacher, and I wanted to help her, if I could.

I grabbed the hostess's notepad and tore off a page. A waitress always has a stash of good pens, so I pulled one out and clicked it. "I'm Zoe. This is my number. Call or text if you need anything, okay, Nikki?" I held her gaze as I handed it over. "I mean it. Even if it's just someone to watch TV with occasionally."

Her smile was hesitant as she took the paper. "Thanks, Zoe. I…I could use an Eastshore friend."

"Oh, sweetie, there are so many fabulous ladies here, just waiting to meet you." I wasn't used to being the cheerful one, but I forced a bigger smile. "I'll introduce you around, and soon you'll know everyone!"

"I'd like that," she admitted, folding up the paper to tuck into her pocket.

"Good." I nodded firmly and swept up the pitcher again. "Now, I'll go check on your order, and you go put your feet up and relax."

Her smile was shy. "Deal. And thank you."

Yeah, I was going to miss Eastshore—miss the friendships I'd made, miss the support—when I had to move.

I was still thinking about Nikki, and Hurricane Ursula, when I closed out and slipped out the back door. But all of that dropped from my mind when I saw Luxor waiting for me, hands in the pockets of his oversized jeans, and a big grin on his face.

"Hi, Zo, good day?"

I wasn't the smiley type, but dammit, I smiled anyhow. I liked him, I liked his enthusiasm. "Pretty good. I'll be able to pay rent next month, if that's what you're asking." I winked and patted my pocket, where I'd shoved my tips.

As I turned to walk down Sea Cucumber St., he fell into step. "Nope, I was asking because that's what friends do. But I mean, I'm glad about the rent too."

He was glad about everything , wasn't he? I shot him a glance from under my lashes. "Is that what we are? Friends?"

Lux pulled to a sudden stop, shock on his face. We were close enough I had to tilt my head back to see him. He made a move as if he wanted to grab my arms, but then halted, hands up and grasping at nothing.

" Yes . Yes, we're friends! I mean…" His expression turned uncertain, and he dropped his hands again. "Aren't we? I know you said outside of the house—I mean, we aren't dating or anything, but friends …maybe? Yes?"

God, he was adorable. Sighing, I patted his forearm. "Yes, Lux. We're friends."

He sighed in what seemed like relief, and I'll admit, the realization made me…happy, I guess. I felt bad for scaring him, but also glad he thought I was his friend.

Because even though I'd been firm this roommates with benefits agreement wasn't going to be anything more than a hookup, I was finding myself wishing I hadn't been quite so strict about it. I found myself wanting more . More from Lux.

More for us .

I wasn't certain what that meant, honestly, but it was part of the addiction thing.

In fact, somehow, when we turned to walk again, my hand slid down his forearm and ended up in his. Which is a stupid way of saying that—completely to my surprise—we ended up holding hands.

And it felt good.

Natural.

A warmth climbed up my arm and made me flush, remembering the way his hands—his lips —could make me feel in bed. And in the shower. And twice now on the sturdy kitchen table he'd made. And once on the couch, the back patio, and up against the inside of the front door.

That memory had me doing a bit more than flushing.

The way his lips twitched told me he could smell my arousal again, and I rolled my eyes. At him, and at myself.

"Wanna stop off at the beach?" he suddenly asked.

I'd been on my feet all day, and he'd promised me fish tacos tonight, but I wasn't going to object to prolonging this stroll, especially the way it felt so right to be taking our time, hand in hand…together.

"Is this a date?" I teased as we turned toward the omnipresent sound of the surf.

"Just an outing," he assured me, holding up our linked hands. "Between friends. Outside of the house, we're just friends."

Right .

So why did his reassurance make me a little…sad?

We used the beach access near the public library. In the height of summer, the local police always had to keep shooing beachgoers out of the parking lot—there were plenty of other beach access parking spots—but in the mid-September weather, the lot was only filled with library patrons. I studied the building.

"It's weird to see an all-brick building on the beach, but I'm glad the foundation is lifted."

Lux hummed. "Apparently, it was constructed before the new building standards, so there's some flooding concerns, but at least it's sturdy! Tomorrow I'm supposed to meet Mrs. Albee to put up the hurricane shutters, but I'm going to ask her about water damage. There's supposed to be a king tide next Saturday, which could cause some issues with the storm surge."

I raised my brows. "I'm impressed you keep up with all that."

He shrugged and shot a grin my way as we crested the dunes. "I don't, but Giza does. He's our own personal telegra—wait, tele…um, which is the one with the wires?"

"The telegraph is the method of communication. The telegram was the actual piece of paper that the message was written on."

"And the telephone had a cord, right?"

I scoffed. "You know what a telephone is."

"I know what a cell phone is—it's what Giza uses to text us all updates. You know what they say: telegraph, telephone, tell-a-Geez."

"No one says that." I knocked my hip against his. Or at least, I tried to, but since he was so much taller, ended up knocking against his thigh and careening off in the other direction, which caused him to mutter "whoa there" and yank me upright.

We were both chuckling as we turned to face the crashing surf.

After a moment, Lux took a deep breath, head tipped back, as if reveling in the salt spray. "I don't swim as much as Karnak, but gods of the ancestors, I love the ocean."

I couldn't seem to tear my gaze away from him. He looked so…primal—magnificent?—standing strong against the spray and the winds.

"You do?" I murmured, just to keep him talking, because I was discovering I loved hearing about him.

He took another deep breath, then released it on a long, " Yeppp ." He was smiling when he opened his eyes. "I grew up swimming—not in salt water, of course, but…" He shrugged, his smile fading a bit. "I moved much better in the water than I did on land. Weightless." He exhaled again, this time more like a sigh. "And I learned that swimming was even easier when you're not broken. Good exercise."

What ? I had questions.

But I didn't get the chance to ask them, because Lux suddenly swung on me, his grin back in place. "How about you? Do you prefer to swim in salt water or fresh water?"

My brows went up as I was derailed by his question. "I don't swim."

"At all?"

Boy, I hadn't thought of this in a while. "Nope, I guess not. When I was a kid, I fell in the neighborhood pool when my mom's back was turned. The lifeguard pulled me out, but I remember being terrified that no matter how hard I kicked, I wasn't going to be able to keep breathing." I shrugged. "I've just avoided water since then, but I love the beach three seasons of the year."

"Floating is pretty easy, and I'll teach you to swim someday," he offered, then blinked. "Wait, which three seasons?"

"Fall, winter, spring." When he scowled, I chuckled again. "I don't need the crowds summer brings, and I don't like the sand getting all over my skin, or the way the saltwater makes me itch. But I like walking along the beach when it's cooler."

"Itch," he muttered, tugging me into motion again. "Yeah, okay, I get that. It's like…the saltwater dries on your skin and then the salt sticks to that and everything…" He rolled his shoulders thoughtfully. "Itches. Everywhere."

There was something about the way he said it. "You okay, Lux?"

When he shot me a glance, there was something in his gaze I hadn't seen before. A sort of serious uncertainty, maybe? "Yeah, lately I've just been…"

"Itchy?" I teased.

To my surprise, he didn't grin, but just shrugged, looking back at his feet while we walked. "I dunno. Something feels different."

I doubt he even realized he did it, but Luxor raised a hand to his chest, scratching at his t-shirt. His claws—which were almost always retracted—slid out just enough to dig into the cotton, then he shuddered once and sighed.

This was…different. I frowned slightly, concerned. Was Lux sick? His claws were digging into his chest right over where his heart would be, and I wondered about the signs of a heart attack in orcs.

Wait, heart attack? The dude's younger than you are, built like a house, and has the stamina of a horse. You ought to know .

That was true.

So…was it my fault? Whatever he was feeling? Lux had been a virgin when I'd popped his cherry a week ago, and now we were going at it like rabbits every afternoon, and then again at night, and often in the morning too. I'd taken to sleeping in his bed, just because I loved the way he held me at night, as if I was precious.

So, was it possible I'd broken him somehow?

I was just opening my mouth to ask when Luxor let out a whoop and bent to scoop something out of the sand. "Look at the size of this one!"

To my surprise, he straightened with a grin, holding out a black triangle about an inch and a half long. A fossilized shark's tooth, I realized, peering closer.

"This thing is huge!" he declared happily, turning it this way and that. "Hurricane surf brings in all sorts of cool stuff."

Ah, yes, there was the Luxor I knew and lo— I mean , the Luxor I knew. Perpetually cheerful.

Health concerns apparently forgotten; he held out the tooth to me. "Usually it's better hunting for these things up near the public park, but the surf is always pretty violent before and after big storms. You want it?"

I straightened, glancing at the crashing waves. "No, but thank you. Do you collect them?"

Shrugging, he dropped it into his pocket. "Not really, but I'll see if Emmy wants it—she's Sakkara's kid."

I nodded, figuring no one on the island didn't know the only known half-orc in the world. "I'll keep my eye out for anything else cool that washes up." My gaze kept drifting back to the violent surf, even when we began walking. "Have you…You just moved here. So you haven't lived through a hurricane on the island?"

He shrugged. "Nope, but I spent the last decade in Newport News, living with Giza, so I've seen my share of hurricanes." He squeezed my hand, and when I glanced up at him, his gaze was concerned. "Are you nervous? Want to evacuate?"

I took the time to really evaluate my feelings before I slowly shook my head. "I don't think I'm too worried, although I'll keep an eye on the news and weather, of course. I've been through two other small ones here on Eastshore, and I've evacuated twice as well. This one doesn't seem as bad as the one that came through two years ago."

He was nodding along, and then squeezed my hand again. "I won't let anything happen to you, Zo," he said in a low voice. "I swear it."

My brain knew it was impossible for him to make a vow like that, but somehow it settled into my chest, and a feeling of peace crept over me in a way I hadn't expected. Nodding, I squeezed his hand again.

"Do you need help at the library?" I found myself asking.

And just like that, his big green face split into a goofy grin. "Of course ! I'd love to have your help, and I know Mrs. Albee would appreciate it."

I gulped, intimidated once more at the thought of meeting Eastshore's librarian. "Okay." I kicked at the sand as we walked. "If you don't think she'd mind?"

He'd offered to introduce me to Mrs. Albee officially, but I hadn't pushed the topic. I knew her from all the times I'd checked out books, of course, but I didn't know her, know her. Not officially.

I wasn't a particularly outgoing person, and it had always seemed…I dunno, desperate to try to make friends with the town's only librarian? Like I was trying to finagle my way into a job, when I knew Mrs. Albee was the only full-time librarian the town could employ.

"Oh, she won't mind at all—she'll be excited for the help." Lux grinned in excitement. "Mrs. Albee is great. I mean, I think she comes up to my belly button, but she's like a little ball of fiery energy. Really passionate about all the stray dogs we collect and giving them a better life." He shrugged. "Kinda reminds me of what I imagine my mother was like, from the stories."

Imagine ? I opened my mouth to ask him more—did he lose his mother when he was young?—but Lux suddenly sucked in an excited breath and whirled on me. I snapped my teeth shut in surprise.

"Do you want to meet her right now? She's still at the kennels. She always takes a long shift with the dogs on Sunday afternoons, and she was worried about them settling into their new houses."

"Um…"

"I could show you the dog houses I built! Oh, and the new roof on the shed, I did that last month. And there's a litter of puppies that are so cute, Zo, you'd love them."

Oh my God, the way his eyes lit with excitement? The way his grin seemed to stretch from ear to ear? I absolutely wanted to pat him on his head and give him a treat; he was like a giant golden retriever.

And then he bounced on his toes, actually bounced . "Please? Zo? I'd love to show you all my work and introduce you to Mrs. Albee and the puppies. Please?"

Well, hell, I couldn't say no. I didn't want to say no.

Luxor was my friend, and friends pretended to be excited about each other's interests, didn't they?

Except, deep down, I knew it was more than that. I didn't have to pretend, because I did genuinely want to be a part of Lux's life, and experience what made him happy. What he was proud of.

So my smile wasn't faked, wasn't forced when I squeezed his hand and said, "I would love that."

Yep. Definitely addicted to Luxor.